What Does the Bible REALLY Say About Modesty?

About Modesty?

Pastor Don Carpenter

What Does The Bible REALLY Say? / Skirt; Clothing

When Pastor Esseppi died, our church had several leaders pulling us in several directions. It took over 3 years to unify enough to choose a leader. The one thing that the church could agree on was that they wanted a King James preacher. I sure hope we are still there. But friends, there are a lot of folks who teach error but preach from the King James Bible. If someone were to come in teaching that truth is not absolute, or that Jesus is not the Christ, or that Salvation can be lost, he would be tossed out on his ear! Tonight we continue a series that will peer into the subtle underbelly or error held by some teachers who call themselves Independent Fundamental Baptists. These are folks who preach from the King James Bible. These are folks who use the right words. These are folks who espouse teachings that can lead to vain, empty, worship. These subtle teachings though preached with volume and passion are not found in the Bible… not really. Sure someone may lift a verse or a phrase from context and read their own cultural or racial bias into it… but that does not mean that it is Bible truth.

Matthew 15:9 KJV

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Last week we explored the dark manipulations of scripture made by folks who had racist leanings. Today we are going to explore the subject of modesty. This is an area that has several teachings often repeated as scripture that need to be examined further. Here is the only verse in the entire Bible that mentions modesty. Now I believe in it… but we need to see what does the Bible REALLY Say?

1 Timothy 2:9–10 KJV

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

David Cloud, founder of the IFB “Way of Life Ministries” laments the lack of standards and offers a solution.

 One man wrote:

“It’s not just clothing that can be inappropriate — also high heel shoes. They cause the hips to gyrate when the lady walks. The secular world told us this, so why is it in the church? Bright red nail varnish on fingernails and toenails, red lipstick, seamed stockings — that look from the ‘50s and ‘60s [that draw undue attention to the legs.] It’s not always what the attire is but how it is worn and the woman herself. … Excessive use of perfume and make up — both designed to draw men; they should be used with wisdom.”

The battleground, of course, as we have noted many times, is the heart. If a lady is worldly in her heart, she will probably not be modest even if fully clothed and she will look for ways to push the boundaries of any clothing standards with the objective of being fashionable and perhaps showing herself off.

He goes on to offer a “Biblical Solution”

 True modesty requires a wise dress code. I believe strongly in dress codes for Christian workers in this day and age, but the dress code must be thorough. It is not enough to say that the women must wear dresses rather than pants. It should describe all of the important features of a modest dress, that the neck line must not be too low, that the clothing must not be tight, that it must be long enough so that the leg is covered, that it must not be clingy, that it must not be sheer, etc. The issue needs to be spelled out plainly. The dress standard is not only a code; it is a teaching tool to educate the people on this matter. And dress standards for church leaders and workers is a model for for the rest of the church to follow.

Of course, if a girl or woman is worldly in her heart she will still look for ways to push the boundaries of the standards regardless of how clear they are, but that is a separate problem altogether.

[This article is from the author’s book Dressing from the Lord, which is available in print and eBook editions from Way of Life Literature.]

Another Church put their dress code online:

 REGULATIONS

 Men (13 & up)

 Full length pants (no demin)

 Front button polo or dress shirts. Sweaters are acceptable. (No t-shirts)

 Shoes and socks

 Jewelry

  No pierced jewelry

  No necklaces on outside of clothing

 Women (13 & up)

 Skirt or dress is required

  Must completely cover the knee while standing or sitting

  Any slits must stop at the knee

 Top (pertains to blouse or dress)

  Must cover cleavage completely while standing, sitting, or bending over

  The back neck line must be above the shoulders

Snugness of fit for skirt, dress, blouse, or top:

  Not form-fitting, or body hugging

  Must drape and not cling

  No exposed midriff

  Nothing see-through

 Disclaimer: This policy cannot cover every possible situation. Other obviously distracting, immodest or giving-a-wrong-message type of attire will also be prohibited.

“Doctrines” that are actually the Commandments of Men.

“Women Must Not Wear Pants”

Deuteronomy 22:5 KJV

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Job 38:3 KJV

Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Job 40:7 KJV

Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

 • So the thought is if you divide the legs, you are doing what men do.

 • Some go on to teach that men wear denim jeans, that makes women want to wear jeans, so no one should wear denim.

 • The text is actually speaking of maintaining gender distinction… not laying down an exact fashion choice.

 • In fact the girding of the loins was used of the virtuous woman.

Proverbs 31:17 KJV

She girdeth her loins with strength, And strengtheneth her arms.

“Shorts = Nakedness”

“The Bible Says ‘the uncovering of the thigh is nakedness’”

 • This quote is repeated over and over… and it is not in scripture.

 • Here is the reasoning behind this…

Exodus 28:42 KJV

And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach:

Loins = Hips

Thighs = From the hip to the knee – Websters Dictionary

“THEREFORE any skin showing above the knee is NAKEDNESS!!!!”

HOWEVER….

 A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (3409. ??????)

 3409. ?????? yârêk, yaw-rake´; from an unused root mean. to be soft; the thigh (from its fleshy softness); by euphem. the generative parts

Loins = upper thigh… private parts

The ONLY verse speaking of the thigh and nakedness is not a teaching about shorts and modesty… it is saying that the priests’ privates are supposed to be covered.

What Does The Bible REALLY Say about Modesty?

Modesty is not a Dress Code, it is an Attitude.

 1 Timothy 2:9–10 (KJV)

 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 

 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Peter 3:3–4 KJV

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

 1 Timothy 3:2 (KJV)

 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Dressing for Attention is Wrong in the Heart Motivation

Proverbs 7:10 KJV

And, behold, there met him a woman With the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

Romans 15:1–2 KJV

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

Everyone is Responsible for Their Own Thoughts and Actions

Matthew 5:27–29 KJV

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Job 31:1 KJV

I made a covenant with mine eyes; Why then should I think upon a maid?

Remember Who You Are

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 KJV

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Colossians 3:17 KJV

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Romans 12:2 KJV

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:48 PM June 7, 2023.

What Does The Bible REALLY Say About Race?

About Race?

Pastor Don Carpenter

What Does The Bible REALLY Say? / Marriage; Segregation / Numbers 12; Genesis 1

When Pastor Esseppi died, our church had several leaders pulling us in several directions. It took over 3 years to unify enough to choose a leader. The one thing that the church could agree on was that they wanted a King James preacher. I sure hope we are still there. But friends, there are a lot of folks who teach error but preach from the King James Bible. If someone were to come in teaching that truth is not absolute, or that Jesus is not the Christ, or that Salvation can be lost, he would be tossed out on his ear! Tonight we continue a series that will peer into the subtle underbelly or error held by some teachers who call themselves Independent Fundamental Baptists. These are folks who preach from the King James Bible. These are folks who use the right words. These are folks who espouse teachings that can lead to vain, empty, worship. These subtle teachings though preached with volume and passion are not found in the Bible… not really. Sure someone may lift a verse or a phrase from context and read their own cultural or racial bias into it… but that does not mean that it is Bible truth.

Last week we learned that Satan is a subtle deceiver who hides error under a thin skin of truth. As we start to see what deceptions lurk in the shadows of the IFB we will see one theme over and over.

Matthew 15:7–9 KJV

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

As we introduce our topic for this evening, it is helpful for us to be reminded of some cultural and historical context that influenced teaching and perception of what the Bible meant to say. At the turn of the last century, mainline denominations were turning from a long held belief in the inspiration of scriptures… and embracing dangerous liberal, and unorthodox positions on major doctrines. Among the Baptists, the Northern Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention were headed in that direction.  Bible Believing Fundamentalists rose up in each group to split off. The GARBC was born out of the Northern Baptist Convention and Independent Fundamental Baptists came from the SBC. Think about that… the IFB was born in the deep south in the 1930’s. The culture was deeply racist and did not even realize it. Racism, both passive and blatant, made it’s way into church culture and teaching. I am going to show two clips. One of a preacher who has done a lot of good, but was very comfortable with racial joking around… and one whose view on interracial marriage reveals his very bigoted views.

** Show Clips**

Racism within the IFB can be seen in three unbiblical errors that are still being taught today. Let us answer together: What Does The Bible REALLY Say About Race?

God Does Not Divide By Race!

Genesis 1:26–27 KJV

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 The belief of Darwinian evolution claims that human beings changed “from-molecules-to-man” over millions and millions of years, with one of our intermediate states being that of the apes. This belief logically implies that certain “races” are more ape-like than they might be human. Ever since the idea of evolution became popular and widespread, Darwinian scientists have been attempting to form continuums that represent the evolution of humanity, with some “races” being placed closer to the apes, while others are placed higher on the evolutionary scale. These continuums are formed solely by outward appearances and are still used today to justify racism — even though modern genetics has clearly proven that our differences, few as they might be, are no deeper than the skin. On the last page of his book The Descent of Man, Charles Darwin expressed the opinion that he would rather be descended from a monkey than from a “Savage.” In describing those with darker skin, he often used words like “savage,” “low,” and “degraded” to describe American Indians, people groups from Africa, and almost every ethnic group whose physical appearance and culture differed from his own. In his work, those once called pygmies have been compared to “lower organisms” and were labeled “the low integrated inhabitants of the Andaman Islands.”

Ware, A. Charles; Ham, Ken. One Race One Blood: The Biblical Answer to Racism (Revised & Updated) (p. 19). Master Books. Kindle Edition. 

Exodus 22:21 KJV

Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Mark 12:31 KJV

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Colossians 3:25 KJV

But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Revelation 7:9–10 KJV

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

 More and more scientists find that the differences that set us apart are cultural, not racial. Some even say that the word “race” should be abandoned because it’s meaningless. . . . We accept the idea of race because it’s a convenient way of putting people into broad categories, frequently to suppress them . . . the most hideous example is provided by Hitler’s Germany. . . . What the facts show is that there are differences among us, but they stem from culture, not race.5

Ware, A. Charles; Ham, Ken. One Race One Blood: The Biblical Answer to Racism (Revised & Updated) (p. 102). Master Books. Kindle Edition.

What Does The Bible Really Say About Interracial Marriage?

Misused Scriptures

Genesis 1:11 KJV

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

 Due to beliefs that interracial marriage was at worst sin, and at best unwise, many fundamental/evangelical leaders supported segregated communities and segregated churches.

 In 1956, evangelist John R. Rice expressed the following thoughts: But I say frankly that many things are worse than these, and most intelligent people would prefer to have Jim Crow laws than to have unrestrained intermarriage between the races. Christians everywhere should try to avoid oppression and take particular pains to be kind and thoughtful and unselfish in all inter-race relationships.10

 Socially, it is better for both Negroes and whites to run with their own kind and intermarry with their own kind. The mixing of races widely differing is almost never wise. . . . Thus if a girl would do wrong to marry a Negro boy, she would be wrong to keep company with him, mixing regularly with him in a social life.11

 In 1961, M.R. Dehaan expressed his view about interracial marriage with these words: I feel Negroes and Whites should never intermarry, but where possible live in their own social and religious groups and churches. . . . as far as the intimate relationship and fellowship which comes by living in the same sections in a community, I do not believe that the time is ripe.12 It should be acknowledged that Rice and DeHaan were seeking to deal with cultural realities of their day. Both expressed concern about oppression of African Americans, but they also supported, at least for their time, the segregation of the so-called human “races.”

Ware, A. Charles; Ham, Ken. One Race One Blood: The Biblical Answer to Racism (Revised & Updated) (p. 40). Master Books. Kindle Edition.

Leviticus 19:19 KJV

Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

Deuteronomy 22:9–11 KJV

Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. 

Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. 

Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.

Deuteronomy 7:1–6 KJV

When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 

And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 

For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 

But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. 

For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Ezra 9:1 KJV

Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

The Bible Supports Interracial Marriage.

Numbers 12:1–2 KJV

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 

And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

Jeremiah 13:23 KJV

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Numbers 12:3–9 KJV

(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 

And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. 

And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. 

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 

My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? 

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

The Prohibition is Mixing With Unbelievers, not Different Races

2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

What Does The Bible Really Say About the Curse of Canaan?

Genesis 9:25–27 KJV

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; And Canaan shall be his servant. 

God shall enlarge Japheth, And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; And Canaan shall be his servant.

Errors Preached From This Text

While belief in Ham’s curse can be traced to early Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, its popularity grew exponentially in America prior to 1865. The curse served as a prooftext for pro-slavery preachers, enabling them to make heavenly sounding justifications for the hellish enslavement of dark-skinned image-bearers.

Baptist pastor and Southern Seminary trustee Iveson L. Brookes (1785–1868) taught that “Negro Slavery is an institution of heaven and intended for the mutual benefit of master and slave, as proved by the Bible. . . . God himself . . . authorized Noah to doom the posterity of Ham.”

Patrick Mell (1814–1888), the fourth president of the Southern Baptist Convention, proposed: “From Ham were descended the nations that occupied the land of Canaan and those that now constitute the African or Negro race. Their inheritance, according to prophecy, has been and will continue to be slavery . . . [and] so long as we have the Bible . . . we expect to maintain it.”

Satan is a master of Scripture-twisting.

Sadly, quotes like these were commonplace across denominations in the 1800s. And though slavery was abolished in 1865, echoes of this false doctrine continued to reverberate throughout America’s culture and churches. Prominent pastors used it to support segregation, and its sentiments fuel modern-day white supremacist theology. Just recently I had to take down racist posters promoting these lies near our church building.

Look At This in Context – The Ravings of a Drunkard.

Genesis 9:20–24 KJV

And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 

And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. 

And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

What Does The Bible Really Say About Segregation?

Acts 17:26 KJV

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Famous Preachers of the Last Century Used This Verse to Support Segregation.

O “Never Had I Been So Blind”: W. A. Criswell’s “Change” on Racial Segregation Curtis W. Freeman The Fiery Sermon n February 21, 1956, W. A. Criswell addressed the South Carolina Baptist evangelism conference. Criswell was pastor of the largest congregation in the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the denomination’s most popular preachers. Standing in the grand pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Columbia before an overflow crowd, he exhorted his listeners, many of whom were fellow ministers, to be true preachers of the gospel. But he warned them that a passion for evangelism comes at the cost of undergoing a “baptism by fire.” Describing the sort of fiery ordeals they must face, Criswell segued into a heated attack on the forces of desegregation. He expressed astonishment at the cowardice of ministers “whose forebears [sic] and predecessors were martyrs and were burned at the stake” but who themselves refuse to speak up about “this thing of integration.” True ministers, he argued, must passionately resist government mandated desegregation because it is “a denial of all that we believe in.” This rhetorical move portrayed Southern Baptists as the de facto established church of the South and gave the ministers the privilege to speak for all white southerners. He denounced as “foolishness” and “idiocy” the recent ruling of the Supreme Court that was meant to ram integration down the collective throat of the South. Irritated with the carpet bagging supporters of civil rights, he exclaimed: “Let them integrate. Let them sit up there in their dirty shirts and make all their fine speeches. But they are all a bunch of infidels, dying from the neck up.”11 Criswell saved some of his harshest invectives for the National Council of Churches and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He challenged his fellow Baptists to hold the line against those “two-by scathing, good-for-nothing fellows who are trying to upset all of the Curtis W. Freeman is Research Professor of Theology and Baptist Studies at Duke University Divinity School.

W. A. Criswell’s “Change” on Racial Segregation 2 things that we love as good old Southern people and as good old Southern Baptists.” With a jab aimed at ecumenical church leaders who were pushing integration, he asserted, that half of the things they say “are just as blasphemous and unbiblical as they can be.” “Let them stay where they are,” he exclaimed, “but leave us alone.” Still, he confessed, it was not easy to withstand such fierce criticism, claiming that integrationists had done their best to make him feel “like a dirty, low-down, mangy louse of a dog.” Criswell admitted that in many respects their shame technique was working. Then in an ingratiating attempt at humor he invoked a thinly veiled racial epithet as a punch line that came close to violating the most sacrosanct rule of polite southern social etiquette: “Why the NAACP has got those East Texans on the run so much,” he jibed, “that they dare not pronounce the word chigger any longer. It has to be cheegro.” The ugliness and insensitivity of his remark was not easily forgotten or forgiven.2

https://jsr.fsu.edu/Volume10/Freeman.pdf

The Context Has Nothing to Do With Segregation.

Acts 17:24–26 KJV

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 

Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

This Bigotry Shows Up In Other IFB Extra -Biblical Teaching.

By way of various stages and generations, the “rhythm and blues” of America’s black people originates in the African jungle. The people captured from Africa for slavery in America in the 18th and 19th centuries took with them nothing but their religion. A central element in their religion was their music. (For the details concerning the “primitive” origins of rock, I am indebted to a tape of a speech by G.J. Nijhof, entitled “De Wereld Achter de Grammafoonplaat.” No details as to place or date of the speech is mentioned on the tape I have.)

In our western society today, we are accustomed to distinguish between religious music (that is, church music) and amusement music (for example, “Mary had a little lamb”). The music of the African bush did not know this distinction. To the natives of Africa (and it’s true also of the natives of Australia, America and India), all music was religious; their music was part of their religion. In fact, it was the medicine man (priest, sorcerer, call him what you will) who was the chief musician. The purpose of the music was to get the tribesmen into contact with the gods, be it to drive the evil spirits away or to attract the favour of the good gods. How did the medicine man use music to get his tribesmen into contact with the gods? He did so through the beat. The incessant repetition of sound, without a break, combined with volume, has an effect on the human being.

https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/rock-music-christian-or-not

Conclusion:

When the time comes to hire an assistant Pastor or a Senior Pastor, we must not just assume that all folks who preach the KJV and generally Okay. Ask the following questions and listen carefully to the answers:

 • Is Interracial Marriage wrong? Why/ Why not?

 • What the is Curse of Canaan? How Does it affect us today?

• Is Racial Segregation part of God’s plan?  

When the time comes you may want to word it differently in order to get honest discussion… but Satan is Subtle! Now we know what the Bible REALLY says about Race.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:43 PM May 31, 2023.

The Great Exchange

The Great Exchange

Pastor Don Carpenter

Amazing Grace / 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53

One evening a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up the truck did too. The faster she drove, the faster drove the truck.

Now scared, she exited the freeway. But the truck stayed with her. The woman then turned up a main street, hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic. But the truck ran a red light and continued the chase.

Reaching the point of panic, the woman whipped her car into a service station and bolted out of her auto screaming for help. The truck driver sprang from his truck and ran toward her car. Yanking the back door open, the driver pulled out a man hidden in the backseat.

The woman was running from the wrong person. From his high vantage point, the truck driver had spotted a would-be rapist in the woman’s car. The chase was not his effort to harm her but to save her even at the cost of his own safety.

Likewise, many people run from God’s provision of atonement on the cross, fearing what He might do to them. But His plans are for good not evil–to rescue us from the hidden sins that endanger our lives. (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 37.)

God’s Amazing Grace not only rescues the sinner from condemnation, but from slavery to that sin. God’s unmerited favor not only wipes the ledger clean, and fills it with His righteousness, but He also takes a useless vessel and fashions it into a trophy of His Grace!

 1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)

 But by the grace of God I am what I am…

The Apostle Paul writes this anthem of praise! It is God’s Grace that not only saves, but also keeps us. It is God’s Amazing Grace that continues to work in us to fashion us to be made in the image of Christ.

Romans 8:29 KJV

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

So how exactly does this happen? How does God show His unmerited favor toward us and fashion us into a trophy of Grace? What did Paul mean by his statement? Let us unpack this statement bit by bit.

 1 Corinthians 15:10 (KJV)

 But by the grace of God I am what I am…

I Am Not What I Was

Dead in sin

Ephesians 2:1–2 KJV

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Condemned in sin

John 3:18 KJV

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Known by sin

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 KJV

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

A Child of Sin

John 8:44 KJV

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jesus BECAME what I was!

Sin

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Condemned

Galatians 3:13 KJV

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Known as a transgressor (Sinner)

Isaiah 53:12 KJV

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, And he shall divide the spoil with the strong; Because he hath poured out his soul unto death: And he was numbered with the transgressors; And he bare the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus is Making Me Like He Is!

Philippians 1:6 KJV

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

ALIVE to God

Romans 6:9–11 KJV

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 

For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 10:10 KJV

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A CHILD of God

Galatians 4:4–7 KJV

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Romans 8:15 KJV

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Romans 8:17 KJV

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

A TROPHY of Grace

1 Timothy 1:15–16 KJV

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

In a remote Swiss village stands a beautiful church – Mountain Valley Cathedral. It has high pillars and magnificent stained glass windows, but what makes it special is the most beautiful pipe organ in the whole region. People would come from far off lands just to hear the lovely tunes of this organ.

One something went wrong with the pipe organ. It releases the wrong tones and sounds of disharmony. Musicians and experts from around the world had tried to repair it. No one could find the fault. It was made unique, customised and no one really knows how to fit it. They gave up.

After some time, one old man came. “Why wasn’t the pipe organ used?”

“It’s not playing right,” says the church staff.

“Let me try.” Since it has been lying there, the staff reluctantly agreed to let the old man try his hand at it.

For two days the old man worked in almost total silence. The church worker was, in fact, getting a bit nervous.

Then on the third day – at noon – suddenly the music came. The pipe organ gives off the best music after so many years. The people in the village heard the beautiful music. They came to the church to see.

This old man was playing at the organ. After he finished, one man asked, “How did you fix it? How did you manage to restore this magnificent instrument when even the world’s experts could not?”

The old man said, “It was I who built this organ fifty years ago. I created it, and now I have restored it.”

…James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 244-245.

That is what God did. It is He who created the universe, and that includes you and me.

• Sin destroyed this life. It is no longer good and perfect, cannot give out beautiful music.

• God sent Jesus into this world to restore it – to give us an abundant and eternal life.

(From a sermon by Christian Cheong, The Lord of Life, 6/28/2010)

He offers salvation as a free Gift of Grace. Once you accept that gift, He continues to allow His unmerited favor to flow into your life making you back into the perfect image o Himself you were originally created to be. Have you received that gift? Are you yielding to His continued work?  Are you basking in the splendor of His Amazing Grace?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:33 PM May 4, 2023.

Amazing Grace! Sunday Morning Sermon Series

Many people see God as a divine kill- joy waiting to slap anyone who is enjoying life too much. The Bible teaches just the opposite. Grace means “Unmerited Favor” and God wants to put his Amazing Grace on display for the whole universe to see throughout the ages. Come Sunday mornings at 11:00 to learn more!

The Action of Compassion

The Action of Compassion

Pastor Don Carpenter

Facets of Compassion

Let’s suppose for a moment that it was Friday night and you wanted to go to a movie. You’re running late for the movie because you got home late, and then once you put down the keys, you forgot where you placed them. It was frustrating but you did find them. You finally jump into the car and you’re on way making good time until you come up behind a blue car. You are on a two lane road with a solid yellow line down the middle which means no passing. The car in front of you is doing twenty in a thirty five mile an hour zone. You want to grab some popcorn before going into the movie. You are starting to wonder, where did the person in front of you get her license. What’s going on in your mind at this point?

Would it make a difference to you, if you knew that woman was heading home from the hospital to an empty house. She had driven to the hospital an hour earlier. Her husband of 40 years and her only son had arrived at the hospital dead after being in an automobile accident. She didn’t have anyone she could call on to come and drive her home. She didn’t want to leave her car at the hospital. She was crying and driving 20 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone right in front of you.

If you had of known this information, you would have still been late for the movie, but you probably would have had some compassion. You probably would have prayed for her. What you would have done is that you would have put yourself in her place and thought what you would have needed if you had been her.

Last week we discovered that the English word “compassion” is packed with so much meaning, that there are 5 Greek New Testament words that are all translated the same way. Last week we looked at three of those words as we learned how to cultivate the feeling of compassion. We learned that it was a personal choice to feel compassion. We also saw that our feeling of compassion was tied into our perception of things. We need to see people through the eyes of Jesus in order to experience the feeling of compassion that Jesus had. We also saw that compassion came when we shared common experiences.

Today we will look at two words that move us to the action of compassion. As we examine these words we will discover that we have a story of compassion to share with others, a debt of compassion to pay forward, an example of compassion to follow. Let us take a closer look and see how we can put compassion into action.

We Have a Story of Compassion to Share With Others

Our Situation was hopeless – like the demoniac of the Gadarenes

Mark 5:1–5 KJV

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 

Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 

Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 

And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Ephesians 2:1–2 KJV

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

 • Every one of us were, and maybe still are, as hopelessly enslaved as that demoniac.  

 • Sin enslaves, whether it is the bottle, the bed, or the pride of life.  Every one of us were enslaved both to the lifestyle and consequences of sin.

Romans 3:12 KJV

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

 • The ravages of sin will kill us if we are not delivered

James 1:13–15 KJV

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Hope Appeared When Jesus Appeared

Mark 5:6–7 KJV

But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 

And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

 • Our first encounter with Christ can be very unsettling.

 • To see His holiness is to see our wretched condition.

 • Jesus is not the enemy

Jesus Sets the Captive Free!

Mark 5:8–13 KJV

For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 

And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 

And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 

Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 

And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 

And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

John 8:32 KJV

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The Mission now is to show compassion by sharing the story of Christ’s compassion toward you.

 Mark 5:15–19 (KJV)

 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 

 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 

 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 

 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 

 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words Compassion, Compassionate

 eleeo (?????, 1653), “to have mercy

 • If you are born again, you have at least one story of compassion. God reached down to you in your wretched state and pulled you out. He HAD MERCY/ PITY/ COMPASSION

 • Someone in your life needs to hear that they too have hope because you found hope. Have compassion on them by sharing the story of the compassion Jesus had on you.

We Have a Debt of Compassion to Pay Forward  

We have a debt we cannot pay.

Matthew 18:21–25 KJV

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Romans 3:23 KJV

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23 KJV

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Forgave Our Debt

Matthew 18:26–27 KJV

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Romans 5:8 KJV

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 KJV

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We Must Put Compassion into Action by Forgiving the Debt of Others.

 Matthew 18:28–33 (KJV)

 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 

 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 

 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 

 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 

 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 

 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Matthew 6:12 KJV

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

“Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else’s skin.

It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.”

SOURCE: Frederick Buechner, “Wishful Thinking.” Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1973.

We Have an Example of Compassion to Follow  

Jesus Our High Priest Was also our Example

 Hebrews 5:1–2 (KJV)

 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 

 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

 Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament)

 ??????????? (metriopathe?): deal gently with 

Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament III. Exegesis of the Letter

Metripatheo (??????????) means to be moderate or tender in judgment toward another’s errors. It speaks of a state of feeling toward the ignorant and the erring which is neither too severe nor too tolerant. The high priest must be careful lest he become irritated at sin and ignorance. He must also take care that he does not become weakly indulgent.

 • Toward the ignorant

 • Toward the wayward

 • Because you are surrounded by your own weakness.

Our Compassion on Doubters Can Make a Difference in their Rescue

Jude 22–23 KJV

And of some have compassion, making a difference: 

and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

 Look at sinful men as mad, and you will pity them and bear with them.

 Charles Spurgeon

Conclusion:

We live in a cold cruel world, but we have been called, as Christ Followers, to feel and practice the same compassion He modeled for us. We have a story of compassion to share. We have a debt of compassion to pay forward. We have an example of compassion to follow. May God help us as we put our feelings of compassion into action.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:55 AM March 9, 2023.

You Came Down To My Level

You Came Down to my Level – Praise Beyond Expectation

Pastor Don Carpenter

Praise Eruption / Psalm 138:6–8

 William Barclay told of a bright young woman who contracted a crippling disease that left her partially paralyzed. She had been an outdoor person, loving sunshine and sports, but now her world had turned into shadows. One day a friend brought her a book on the theme of Christian joy, written in a vivid, radiant style. As the girl took the book in her gnarled fingers, she spoke quietly, “Certainly, I know this book.”

 Her friend replied, “Have you read it before?”

 “Yes,” replied the cripple. “You see, I wrote it.”

Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 277). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Welcome to the final sermon on Psalm 138: “Praise Eruption”. This God inspired song was written as an explosive emotional response to the ever increasing amount of skeptics, heathen, and doubters that plagued the Psalmist on a regular basis. As we reflect on this Psalm, we can learn from David. We saw his initial response to the opposition was a bold declaration of intent to praise. As he moved from that we say him give a detailed personal account of God’s hearing, answering, and delivering during an evil day. Last week we saw how the psalmist who was also a prophet, reflected upon a day when all the kings would be believing kings. He told of a day yet to come when every knee would bow and every tongue would sing praise. Today as this song reaches a climatic end, David focuses on a compare and contrast device. He tells us about the reasons that hope and praise would be unlikely, but shows that God comes through anyway. Many of us can echo this same sentiment back to God with a heart erupting with praise… Oh God You Came Down to My Level! We can offer an anthem of praise beyond expectation!

Even Though God Is High…

 Psalm 138:6 (KJV)

 Though the LORD be high…

Psalm 113:5 KJV

Who is like unto the LORD our God, Who dwelleth on high,

Isaiah 6:1 KJV

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Yet He Has Respect to the Lowly

 Psalm 138:6 (KJV)

 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: 

John Phillips in his commentary makes this observation:

 “Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off.” How high He is. “I saw … the Lord … high and lifted up,” said Isaiah. He is higher than the highest heaven, His throne is exalted above the stars. Between Him and the highest archangel of glory is a gulf so vast as to be infinite.

 How lowly we are. When Isaiah saw the Lord he became aware at once of his own despicable condition. “Woe is me,” he said, “I am undone.” Prophet that he was, gifted man that he was, confident before kings as he was, one glimpse of the Lord and Isaiah was filled with a sense of his unworthiness and shame. Even his lips, the words he spoke, horrified him. Yet the Lord had respect for him and lifted him up.1

1 Phillips, J. (2012). Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 2, Ps 138:6). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp

Isaiah 57:15 KJV

For thus saith the high and lofty One That inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

James 4:6 KJV

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

1 Peter 5:6 KJV

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

He Still Sees What the Proud Are Up To

 Psalm 138:6 (KJV)

 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: But the proud he knoweth afar off.

But the proud. Those of lofty rank, and of lofty feelings;—the haughty.

 He knoweth afar off. From afar. Though he is exalted,—though he is in heaven,—yet he is not so far removed but that he sees them, and knows them altogether. Distance from him is no protection for them; nor can the wicked hope to escape notice from the fact that God reigns over distant worlds.1

1 Barnes, A. (1870–1872). Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 289). Blackie & Son.

Psalm 1:6 KJV

For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Even Though I Walk In The Middle of Trouble…

 • David turns his words back to addressing God personally in praise.

 Psalm 138:7 (KJV)

 Though I walk in the midst of trouble…

But the proud. Those of lofty rank, and of lofty feelings;—the haughty.

He knoweth afar off. From afar. Though he is exalted,—though he is in heaven,—yet he is not so far removed but that he sees them, and knows them altogether. Distance from him is no protection for them; nor can the wicked hope to escape notice from the fact that God reigns over distant worlds.1

1 Barnes, A. (1870–1872). Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 289). Blackie & Son.

 • I know how this will turn out- a declaration of worship directed to God himself.

You (God) will revive me

Psalm 119:50 KJV

This is my comfort in my affliction: For thy word hath quickened me.

He has nothing to worry about. His despondency and despair will be banished the moment he sees the situation in the light of God’s omnipotence and omniscience. No matter that he walks in the midst of trouble—an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God is with Him.1

1 Phillips, J. (2012). Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 2, Ps 138:7a). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.

You (God) Will Rescue Me

 Psalm 138:7 (KJV)

 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies…  

Psalm 91:2 KJV

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust.

God will stretch out His hand against the wrath of His enemies. The stretching forth of God’s hand is a well-known Old Testament synonym for judgment. No power in the universe can withstand the stretching out of God’s hand.

It was stretched out in the days of Daniel, when proud Belshazzar mocked the living God by using the sacred vessels of the temple for a drunken feast. What a display of pomp and world power was manifested in the palace that night. Everyone who was anyone was there: the great of the land, lords and ladies, the chiefs of the military. What a feast! What revelry! What ribald mocking of Jehovah! What scenes of debauchery! Then suddenly, silently, out of the sleeve of the night came the outstretched hand of God. Across the palace wall that hand moved, leaving behind it a message none could read. That was all it took to reduce proud Belshazzar’s pride. God is able to humble the haughtiest of persons.1

1 Phillips, J. (2012). Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 2, Ps 138:7a–b). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.

Your (God’s) Right Hand Will Save Me.

 Psalm 138:7 (KJV)

 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, And thy right hand shall save me.

Matthew 25:41 KJV

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Psalm 20:6 KJV

Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; He will hear him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand.

Even Though I am Flawed…

Psalm 138:8 KJV

The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Isaiah 42:16 KJV

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, And crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Here is the ultimate secret of God’s seeming delays in delivering us from the apparent triumph of the enemy: He is working on us. He uses adverse circumstances to perfect us, to accomplish some wise and wonderful purpose He has in mind for us.11 Phillips, J. (2012). Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 2, Ps 138:8)

You (God) will Finish the Work You Started In Me.

 Psalm 138:8 (KJV)

 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 5:10 KJV

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. He will complete what he has begun. He will not begin to interpose in my behalf, and then abandon me. He will not promise to save me, and then fail to fulfil his promise. He will not encourage me, and then cast me off. So of us. He will complete what he begins. He will not convert a soul, and then leave it to perish. “Grace will complete what grace begins.” See Notes on Phil 1:6.11 Barnes, A. (1870–1872). Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 289). Blackie & Son.

Your (God’s) Mercy Endures Forever

 Psalm 138:8 (KJV)

 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.

Psalm 136:1 KJV

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 100:5 KJV

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.

Jeremiah 32:40 KJV

And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

We Are the Work of Your (God’s) Hands

 Psalm 138:8 (KJV)

 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.

 • Therefore the prayer that reveals frail faith will not only be tolerated, but answered in the affirmative.

Prayer is one of the means—and an essential means—by which the saints are to be kept unto salvation. The doctrine of the “perseverance of the saints,” is not inconsistent with prayer, but rather prompts to it; and he who professes to rely on that doctrine, and feels so safe that he does not need to pray, and does not pray, gives certain evidence that he has never been converted, and has no true religion.11 Barnes, A. (1870–1872). Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 290). Blackie & Son.

Psalm 100:3 KJV

Know ye that the LORD he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 64:8 KJV

So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: All that see them shall flee away.

Psalm 119:49 KJV

ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, Upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

Ephesians 2:10 KJV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Isaiah 64:8 KJV

But now, O LORD, thou art our father; We are the clay, and thou our potter; And we all are the work of thy hand.

Pastor John Phillips tells the following story:

Years ago I met a potter who made his home in Bethlehem. His little place was on a side road off the beaten track where he had found a field of suitable clay. I went in and there he was with a piece of clay in his hands. He was working it over, holding it first in this hand, then in that, as he punched and pounded it. It was cold, hard, stiff, and he was making it warm, soft, malleable.

Next he put that piece of clay on his wheel, drew up his stool, moistened his hands, and went to work. For awhile he exerted pressure on that clay with his hands from the outside, and that outside pressure made it grow. The clay grew taller and taller as he kept the pressure on. Without that pressure it would have remained a shapeless lump, but with it the clay grew.

Then he moistened his hands again and with his thumb made a hollow in the top of that clay cylinder. As soon as the hollow was deep enough he began pressing inward and downward with his fingers until he could get his whole hand inside the cavity. He was now putting pressure on the inside. That inside pressure gave the clay shape and form and capacity. Without it, it would have remained a cylinder of clay, incapable of holding anything.

The potter then took his vessel off the wheel and put it in the furnace, a very primitive furnace, fired by pieces of wood. I didn’t stay for the whole process, but for hour after hour that clay was there, in the furnace and the heat. All the time the potter was there, feeding the furnace, knowing just how hot to keep it. He never allowed it to get too hot or too cold. At last it was finished. The potter took out the finished piece and put it on display on a shelf outside his shop—a tribute to the skillful-ness of his hands. All through that process the potter was perfecting his work; now it was on display. That is what David discovered: “Thou wilt perfect that which concerneth me; Thy mercy, O Lord, endures for ever. Forsake not the works of Thine hands.” – John Phillips

It is true, this world is no friend of the truth or of the real God. Our response that opposition must be like King David… let us make a declaration of intent to praise. Let us tell the story of our day of deliverance. Let us remember that one day every knee will bow and every king shall sing praises. Let our hearts burst with praise when we realize that the High God came down to our level and gave us a reason to praise beyond expectation.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:52 PM February 23, 2023.